John w



(No Model.)

J. 'W. WARHURST.

TURN TABLE POR STREET RAILWAYS. 180.889,82()l Patented Sept; 18, 1888.

EMWIN N. Pneus, Phaeumogmpher, wmangmn. n.c.

mail O NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

JOHN WARHURST, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALlFORNIA.

TU RN-TABLE FOR STREETnRAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 389,620, dated September 18, 1858.

Application filed March 5, ISES.

vented an ,Improved Portable Turn-Table and Switch for Street-Railway Cars, of which the following is a speciication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure l is a plan of my portable turn table for street-railways. Y Fig. 2 is a plan showing the twoportions of turn-table separated. Fig.

transverse bars B2 B3 B3.

3 isa section taken transversely to the track. Fig. 4 is an edge view of turn-table. In Fig. 5 is shown the adjustable bearing or boxes for trucks. Fig. 6 is an end view of turn-plate. Fig. 7 is anend elevation of the inclined rails, of which Fig. 8 is a side elevation.

My invention relates especially to a portable turn-table for street-railway cars, and has for its object the production of adevice for switch ing cars from one track to the other of cable and horse railways during theblockadeot` such streets caused by fires or public gatherings, Ste.

A is the frame or bed-plate, constructed of some light material, suitably braced and capable of easy handling and divided transversely, as at AX, and hooked or hinged to its counterpart through the mediums of the strengtheningrod B, so that this portion of the frame can be unhooked or folded over upon the part A for transportation from place to place. j

The switching-frame BX is composed of two parallel metal plates suitably supported by The ends oft-his frame project a little beyond the frame A, and said frame A is pivoted eccentrically to the bar B2 near the inner switching rail or plate by means of the pivot C, connected to the center raised cross-beam, D, of the frame A.

The switching-frame is supported and operated upon the four wheels or rollers D D DX D", two of which, Df D', are placed immedi- Serial No. 266.291. (No model.)

` low, the wheels being of small diameter, and when the turn-table is trundled to the point of blockade the wheels are removed from contact with the surface ot the ground or the tracks under the turn-table, so as to let it down upon the track. For this purpose the axles, which are preferably of such length as to cause the wheels to match the tracks of the railway and have the wheels rigidly attached to them, are suspended in open forked bearings or boxes E in the cross-beams of the plates of frame 7. These bearings are provided with screw-threaded arms passing through strap-plates F at the top of the frame.'

The arms are operated by hand-nuts F,Which carry the boxes up and down 'in the strapplate flush with the lower face of the crossbraee, towhich they are connected, and the frame A is thereby lowered upon the track, where it is held by the engagement of the downwardly-projecting lugs G G on the under side of the frame, as shown in Fig. 4, with the rails of the railway-track. In this position free movement of the switching frame or tracks can be had, and it can be rotated easily upon the Wheels at any point along the circular track of the frame A to receive the blockaded car from one track and transfer it to the adjoining or parallel track for a return-trip. 4In order to place the car in suitable position upon the switching frame or track and transfer iti'rom thence to the return or parallel track, I employ two portable switching-tracks, H l, suitably held together bythe transverse rods J J and adjustably connected to the head blocks or ties K by pins KX, the upper ends of the inclined rails resting in notches Gr2 Gr2 in the top of the head-blocks K. These headblocks are placed across the track and serve to raise the, end of the switching-tracks to a level with the switching-frame, in which p0- sition the portable tracks are held in line with the track-plates of the frame by a hook, L, on the edge of the outer cross-bars of the frame engaging with a pin, LX, on the head-block.

Suitable supporting-ties, M, are placed midway under these switch-rails and extend from rail to rail of the track.

The switching-rails of the track l are curved to partially bridge the space between tracks and give the proper direction of the car from its track to the turn-plate or switch-frame, and thereby lessen the diameter of the circular frame or bed-plate of the machine in construction.

The lower ends of the switch-rails are hammered or beveled to a thin edge and hanged, as at G, so as to hug the outer faces of the railway-rails and prevent lateral movement when the ears are being transferred from rail to rail or track to track.

By this construction it will be seen that a light and portable turntable for street-railways is had, and that bloekaded cars can be easily transferred from one track to thc other and sent back over the route again without delay, the passengers walking around the blockade to make the transfer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-M 1. The combination of a circular' track or base-plate, suitably mounted on wheels or trucks and adapted to be lowered upon the railtrack, with a rotatable switching-frame provided withsuitable rollers and ear guiding;r and sustaining rails.

2. In a portable turn-table for street-railways, the combination, with the track-plate and rotating switching-frame mounted upon wheels or trucks and adapted to be lowered upon the track, of the adjustable straight and curved switching-rails mounted on headblocks and provided with suitable projections or lugs at the lower ends thereof fitting against the sides of the rails to prevent lateral Inoveinent of the switehingrails, as specified.

3. The projections 0r short retainingbars upon the lower face of the track plate or frame, adapted to engage the sides ofthe track, to prevent vibration or lateral movement when the machine is lowered upon the track or tracks, as set forth.

4. In a portable turntable for street-railways, the combination of a track-plate and switching-frame suitably mounted thereon, of the adjustable trucks or wheels provided with forked or open boxes or bearings with screwthreaded stems operating in strap-plates con neeted to ihe frame of the trackplatc,where by the machine is raised and lowered, so that the trucks or wheels can he removed, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

JOHN lV. TARHURS'IX [L s] Witnesses:

C. W. M. SMITH, CHAs. D. WHnAT. 

